


Stay

by journeycat



Category: PIERCE Tamora - Works, Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: F/M, Goodbyes, Older Man/Younger Woman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-11
Updated: 2015-09-11
Packaged: 2018-04-20 07:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 198
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4778138
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/journeycat/pseuds/journeycat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He heads back to the safety of the palace, and she heads into the danger of Scanran swords.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stay

**Author's Note:**

> Written for SMACKDOWN: Team Baird at Goldenlake in February 2010.

Baird found her in the stables, cinching the saddle straps on her grumpy horse and rechecking all her packs. She didn’t say anything, but he knew that she heard him arrive. She was as finely attuned to him as he was to her.

“You’re leaving again.”

Keladry gently pushed Peachblossom’s head away from her and turned to him. “Yes.”

“To fight?”

“Yes.”

They stared at each other for awhile, his soft eyes caressing hers. “I may not be here when you come back.”

“Are you going back to Corus?”

“Yes.”

She nodded, as though she expected it. Perhaps she did. They knew each other well now. There was too much between them.

“Stay.”

“You know I can’t.”

He knew that, too. But it didn’t make it any easier.

He watched her mount, shifting her weight in the saddle and then settling, far more comfortable atop a horse than he was. She looked down at him, her eyes unreadable and soft in the pearly predawn light.

“Be safe,” he said.

“You, too,” she replied, and nudged Peachblossom into a trot.

He watched her disappear into the morning mists, and stared after her long after he couldn’t see her anymore.


End file.
